As an amateur Egyptologist, I am deeply troubled by looting of the museums and plundering of the archeological sites. There is disturbing news from the Mallawi Museum:
From the Luxor Times: 1040 objects were stolen out of 1089 objects on display on Mallawi museum in Minia which was looted yesterday. Most if the rest if the big size statues were damaged as looters couldn’t transfer them. Another sad day for the Egyptian heritage.

The Mallawi Museum has a Facebook Page, listing the taken treasures (click HERE to “Like”/View page). To give you a feel for what was stolen, here are some of my favorites:

My readers may take a small amount of comfort that the international team is on top of the situation: The list of stolen artefacts will also be distributed among all Egyptian ports to prevent any smuggling attempts, the antiquities minister continued. International museums, UNESCO and the INTERPOL are planning to put these artefacts on the Red List to prevent its trading and to return the items safely to Egypt.

There is so often a segment that wants simple answers to complex questions, and such folk are at times easily seduced into cultural genocide, in a most vain attempt to escape the truth that more sophisticated cultures came before them, exist independently of them, and will succeed them. This time the thugs have persecuted the Universal Benefactor, and symbol of all that is holy. May the full wrath of the Great God Set be upon them.

I am hoping that the looting was about trying to turn a profit and sell off the antiquities. Because then at least they will still exist. But I am afraid a lot of the looting was about destroying Egypt’s non-Islamic history.